- 07 September, 2026
Ireland , September 7, 2026: Nearly two decades after becoming an international musical sensation, The Priests continue to bring sacred music to audiences around the world, combining their priestly ministry with a shared passion for music.
The Irish trio comprises Father Martin O’Hagan, Father Eugene O’Hagan and Father David Delargy, who first began singing together as boarding-school students in Northern Ireland during the 1970s. Their musical partnership continued when they later studied in Rome.
Their lives took an unexpected turn in 2008 when a representative from Sony heard them singing together and recognised their distinctive harmony. The trio subsequently signed a recording contract on the steps of Westminster Cathedral and embarked on a remarkable musical journey.
Their debut album, The Priests, released in 2008, sold nearly two million copies worldwide. They went on to release Harmony (2009), Noël (2010) and Alleluia (2016), as well as the compilation Then Sings My Soul: The Best of The Priests (2012).
For Father Delargy, performing music does not mean stepping away from his vocation as a priest. Instead, he sees singing as another way of serving and reaching people. “I don’t leave my priesthood behind me or to the side when I’m performing or singing on the stage.”
He describes those attending their performances not simply as an audience, but as a congregation, emphasising the spiritual purpose behind their music.
The priest believes music can reach people in ways that ordinary speech sometimes cannot. “Music moves people, evokes emotions, feelings and thoughts that otherwise might not have been there.”
He sees their voices and instruments as humble means through which God can work, trusting that music can touch hearts and open people to faith.
The trio recently returned to Rome for celebrations marking the centenary of the Pontifical Irish College, where all three had studied.
Having served in the Diocese of Down and Connor for 35 years, the priests retain a deep affection for the college and its traditions.
Their visit included a musical pilgrimage to several historic churches in Rome, accompanied by fellow priests and faithful who had travelled from Ireland.
For the group, the occasion offered an opportunity to reconnect their musical journey with the spiritual formation that shaped their priestly lives.
Father Delargy believes sacred music has a unique ability to accompany people through every circumstance of life. “Music can express praise, it can express peace, it can express prayer for those who are full of joy, but it can also journey with those who are experiencing difficulty.”
For him, sacred music is fundamentally an act of prayer. Referring to St. Augustine’s well-known teaching, he recalled: “When you sing, you pray twice.”
The Priests also see music as a possible first point of contact with Christianity for those who may otherwise have little connection with the Church.
“Sacred music I’m talking about in particular, will be for many people their only point of contact specifically with the Christian faith.”
Through their voices, therefore, The Priests continue to combine artistry, faith and ministry, demonstrating how sacred music can cross borders, touch hearts and offer a gentle invitation towards Christ.
Courtesy : EWTN News
Photo Credit: Michel Setboun/Getty Images
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